Knife-handle.



No. 887,332. PATENTED MAY l2, 1908.

C. E. KENNEDY. KNIFE HANDLE.

APPLICATION FILED IAB. 13. 1907.

rus NaRRIs PErsRs co.. WASHINGTON. n.1:A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. KENNEDY, OF HOI/BROOK, MASSACHUSETTS, .A SSIGNOR TO JOHN l". DONNELLY, OF 13 ROOKTON, MASSACHUSE'ITS.

KNIFE -HANDLE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed March 13, 1907. Serial No. 362,108.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, residingI in Holbrook, county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Knife-Handles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to knife handles of that class which are adapted to sustain removable knife blades. Knife handles of this class are used very commonly by cutters who are employed to cut into proper shape pieces of leather or cloth for forming shoes and similar articles, because the blade can be readily removed from the handle when it is desired to grind or sharpen it, or to replace a worn-out one with a new one. Knife handles of this class usually have a pair of clamping jaws between which the knife blade is held, said jaws being received within the handle, and heretofore, so far as I am aware, it has been customary to provide means at the back or end of the handle for tighteningI the aws.

In my improved knife handle I provide means at the blade end of the handle for tightening the clamping aws, said means being constructed in such a way that the jaws may be released or clamped with great facility.

I will first describe one embodiment of my invention, and then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a knife handle embodying my invention having a blade secured therein; Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 5 Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line en -9c, Fig. 2 3 Fig. 4 is a side view of the clam ing ferrule; Fig. 5 is a side view of the tubu ar member Fig. 6 is a side and end view of the clamping jaws Fig. 7 is a section through the ferrule.

The knife blade 3 is held between the clamping jaws 4. These jaws are shown as pivoted together at their inner ends, as at 5, and are each provided with the knife-receiving groove 6, as shown in Fig. 6 which extends the full length thereof. Each jaw also has the exterior shoulder 7 and the inclined surface 8. The knife blade 3 when in place is received between the jaws, and the edges thereof occupy the knife-receiving recesses 6, as usual. The two jaws are pivoted together in such a way as to permit the knife blade 3 being inserted clear through the jaws and beyond the pivotal point thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, so that said knife blade can be set in any adjusted position. The jaws are received within a tubular member 9 and they are clamped therein and also clamped against the knife blade by means of a clamping ferrule l0. The clamping ferrule has a tubular body portion 1l of a size to 'lit over the end of the tubular member 9, and said ferrule is also provided with the extension l2 which is shaped to lit over the portion of the jaws having the inclined surfaces S. The clamping aws are so constructed that when in position the shoulders 7 thereof engage the end 13 of the tubular member, and said member and the ferrule are so constructed that the two may be moved longitudinally of each other, thereby to clampl the jaws -firmly to the tubular member and also by the engagement of the inclined surface 8 with the extension 12 clamp the aws firmly on to the knife blade 3. As one simple means of accomplishing this end, I have provided the tubular member with the cam surface or shoulder 14 which is adapted to cooperate with a projection 15 on the interior of the ferrule. This cam surface 14 may be formed by making a spiral slot or groove in the tubular member or in any other suitable way. If the member 9 has a groove therein I will preferably make it with the open end 1G so that the ferrule can be entirely removed.

In assembling the parts, the knife blade 3 is placed between the jaws 4, and said jaws are then placed within the tubular member 9, the ferrule is then slipped over the knife blade and on to the end of the jaws, and the projection 15 is caused to enter the open end 16 of the slot 14. By turning the ferrule relative to the tubular member, said ferrule will be moved longitudinally of the tubular member, thereby clamping the jaws firmly on to the knife blade and also clamping the shoulders 7 of the jaws against the end of the tubular member. The number of cam shoulders 14 and projections 15 is not essential, and two or more may be used although I have shown only one in the drawing. The tubular member 9 is preferably mounted in a suitable handle 18 which has a central bore in which said member is received. Owing to the characteristic features of the construction, however', none of the strain of clamping the knife blade between the jaws comes on the handle 18, and so the operation of -clamping the knife blade in place does not tend in any way to split the handle.

The top surface 20 of the extension 12 is made broad enough to form a convenient rest for the finger of the operator through which pressure is applied to the knife. ln many constructions it is customary for the operator to placehis finger on the back side of the blade adjacent the handle, but this is apt to cause injury to the linger. The comparatively broad surface 20, however, furnishes a iirm bearing for the finger without any danger of injury thereto.

It will be seen from the above invention that the clamping of the blade in place or the loosening thereof can be very quickly accomplished by merely turning the ferrule 10.

Another advantage of my construction is that heavy parts of the device are located at the blade end of the handle instead of at the opposite end. This brings the weight in a position in which it is most effective in the cutting operation.

l have not attempted herein to show all forms of my invention, but have illustrated in the drawings the preferred embodiment thereof.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a handle having an interior bore, of an openeended tubular member fitted within said bore and projecting at one end beyond the bore, said projecting portion having a cam groove, a pair of clamping jaws extending into the tubular member, each jaw having an inclined surface at its projecting end, and a clamping ferrule having a cylindrical portion 11 to t over the projecting end of the tubular portion and a projecting portion l2 which is oblong in cross sectional shape and which fits the projecting end of the jaws, said cylindrical portion of the ferrule having a projection to engage the cam groove of the tubular member.

2. The combination with a knife handle having an interior bore, of an open-ended tubular member fitted within said bore and provided with a cam groove exterior to the handle, a pair of blade-clamping jaws eX- tending into the tubular member, the opposite faces S of said jaws inclining toward each other at the end thereof, and a clamping ferrule provided with a cylindrical portion 11 and a projecting portion 12, said cylindrical portion tting over the end of the tubular member and provided with a lug 15 to be received in said groove, and said projecting portion 12 having an oblong crosssectional shape to fit the projecting ends of the jaws and also being provided with inclined surfaces to engage the inclined surfaces 8 of the jaws.

In testimony whereof, l have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. KENNEDY.

l/Vitnesses LoUrs C. SMITH, J. F. DONNELLY. 

